Heart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal Featuring Vonda Shepard (1999)

"MY WIFE BOUGHT WHAT?!?" FORTNIGHT* (JULY 1-14, 2016)

If some is good, more must be better, right? Well...maybe not. Sophomore slump, law of diminishing returns, regression to the mean, whatever you want to call it. A blatant attempt to get everybody some Christmas bonuses, this falls short on several counts:

1. no variety - we've got a bunch of slow songs here (possibly a rainy morning CD?)
2. no truth in advertising - they're not new songs, they're not all from the show, and there's no soul (for an example of a cover with soul, click here)
3. no punch - song selection is weak

Even though it's a weakly Photoshopped picture, at least Vonda gets on the cover this time. (There's a couple more Photoshop fails in the booklet: are these women the same height or not?)



While we're talking bad photoshopping, allow me to get in the game, too:

Man, this post got off-topic quickly, huh? In my defense, I had to find something to occupy my mind since this album ain't doing it.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #60

Tracks: Nothing grabs me. There's a duet with Al Green that even he can't save. Rev. Green and Shepard change lyrics and their voices don't really work together, maybe because he's freakin' Al Green and she's "a second-rate Bonnie Raitt." Roy Orbison's song Crying is one of those songs that should never be covered, ever. She even makes a Beatles song sound dull. The best track is a Shepard original titled Confetti.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Nope

Previously revisited for the blog:
Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas featuring Vonda Shepard (2000)
Songs from Ally McBeal featuring Vonda Shepard (1998)

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*I recently unearthed a CD carry case that my wife used to carry in one or more of our three former minivans.  This month, in the spirit of this blog's mission, I'll be listening to that case's contents.

Songs from Ally McBeal featuring Vonda Shepard (1998)

"MY WIFE BOUGHT WHAT?!?" FORTNIGHT* (JULY 1-14, 2016)

Record exec: "Vonda, we've got good news and bad news for you. The good news: we're gonna release a CD of your recordings! The bad news: you won't get top billing and we're gonna put another woman's picture on the cover."

More covers than originals and that's fine with me. I like Vonda's voice just fine and the vague country-soft rock spin she puts on tunes. If I'm remembering the show correctly, Vonda played this music with her band as the characters interacted and occasionally mistreated her bar band as a live karoake back-up group. And that's the best way to listen to these tunes - as background music.

Billboard, May 30, 1998, p. 26
Compared to The Rembrandts. Ouch.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #7

Tracks: The better tracks are Hooked On A Feeling, You Belong To Me, Will You Marry Me?,  It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song), and I Only Want To Be With You. According to imdb.com: "The song 'Tell him' by various different artists, including the original by The Exciters, written by Bert Berns, is featured in 52 out of 112 episodes.[sic]" I will not be re-watching the series to confirm that number.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I have vague memories of watching the TV show, mainly for the parade of pretty women. I don't remember how many seasons it lasted, but I'm pretty sure I didn't watch more than two (my crack research staff informs me it aired 5 seasons, 1997-2002).

Previously revisited for the blog:
Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas featuring Vonda Shepard (2000)

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*I recently unearthed a CD carry case that my wife used to carry in one or more of our three former minivans. This month, in the spirit of this blog's mission, I'll be listening to that case's contents.

Various Artists - Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas featuring Vonda Shepard (2000)

Buying this disc must have seemed like a good idea back in the year 2000.

Actually, some of the cuts aren't too bad. Vonda Shepard is a decent cover artist. I have no memory of Robert Downey, Jr. on that show - he certainly didn't need to be recording Christmas songs at that point in his life. Series regulars Lisa Nicole Carson and Jane Krakowski make appearances, trying to parlay their acting careers into recording careers. Even Calista Flockhart sings one track: Santa Baby. Macy Gray sings Winter Wonderland - no idea how she got on the disc. Did she do a cameo on the show?

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #59

Tracks:

• Good: This Christmas, Please Come Home for Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
• Bad: Silver Bells, Let It Snow, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, River
• Ugly: Winter Wonderland, Santa Claus Got Stuck in My Chimney, Santa Baby, White Christmas
• Cheesy: The Man with The Bag, Run Rudolph Run

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: No specific Christmas memories. I have vague memories of watching the TV show with my wife. I don't remember how many seasons it lasted, but I'm pretty sure I didn't watch more than two.